Belmonte hopes hostage incident won't affect Singson case

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte expressed hope that the bloody hostage-taking incident in Manila on August 23 will not have any adverse effect on the drug case against Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson in Hong Kong. "I hope not, no. I hope not kasi iba naman, that's a different matter altogether. I hope not, I hope not. Kawawa naman yun (Rep. Singson)," Belmonte told reporters late last week. He added: "Just let their laws and the circumstances prevail without the emotionalism that is engendered by an entirely different matter." Eight tourists from Hong Kong were killed when negotiation with hostage taker dismissed Sr Insp Rolando Mendoza failed. Mendoza himself was killed when police tried to rescue the victims. (See: 9 killed in hostage mess; China demands answers) Singson, on the other hand, is facing a drug case before a Hong Kong court for allegedly carrying 6.7 grams of cocaine along with two tablets of diazepam, more commonly known under the brand-name Valium. He was arrested at the Customs Arrival Hall of Chek Lap Kok International Airport last July 11. Singson is out on bail but cannot leave Hong Kong throughout the course of the trial. (See: Court grants HK$1.5-M bail for Rep. Singson on drug rap) Belmonte also said the House will continue sending representatives to the proceedings to monitor the progress of the case. The House leadership earlier sent Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo and lawyer Leonardo Palicte III of the House legal department to observe the August 19 proceedings. The next hearing will be on September 7 for Singson’s arraignment. "I will send them (Quimbo and Palicte). Siguro I’ll ask them to go as well for the Sept 7 hearing," Belmonte said. The chamber on Wednesday evening adopted a resolution expressing the chamber’s sympathy and condolence to the families of the victims of hostage taking incident. In House Resolution 297, Rep. Alfrancis Bichara, house foreign affairs committee chairman; Ako Bicol partylist Reps Christopher Co, Rodel Batocabe and Alfredo Garbin Jr stressed the need to assuage the emotional pain and trauma suffered by the survivors and families of those killed in the tragedy. The House ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs to furnish the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the country, the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong and the respective families of the victims copies of the resolution. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMANews.TV